Event || The Empire Strikes Back

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Everyone participating in the event
Where: Aqures Ixen
When: July 27th to August 02nd
Summary: The battle for Aqures Ixen is about to begin! The Heroes of Light are going to do their best to defend Aqures Ixen, but will this be enough? Feel free to participate and reply to appropriate threads. New top-level threads will be posted regularly as the battle progresses.
Warning: N/A, will be updated.

July 27th || Mingle
July 28th || Bomb Defusing / Imperial Assault
July 29th || Mingle / Attack on the 13th District / Aerial Battles / Imperial Camp
July 30th || 14th District on Fire / The Hospital / Mognet Office Attacked
July 31st || The Fire Spreads / Betrayals
August 01st || The Second Wave / Ultima Weapon
August 02nd || Final

Comments

August 01st || The Second Wave

[melodiesmods]

[The second wave is led by an Airship that may be familiar to certain Heroes of Light: the Bevelle, the very same Airship that attacked Esdham months ago. However it stays safely behind the lines for the time being, while nine of the new airships are quick to take action: first attacking the remainder of the allied Airships and then attempting to surround the soldiers and law enforcement employees who focused on the 12th District.

It may be possible to do something; but the enemy is superior in such numbers, the situation may look hopeless to many, unless...]

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[bloodynine]

[ A monster works to reduce their numbers! With a roar, Logen smashes his way into the already-landed troopers and war machines, the blade of the maker already slick with blood and oil, his body red and black as well, barely recognizeable as human as he guts a gunner with his sword, before bullying his way forward into a mass of Warriors, matching his blade against theirs, though he spends a lot of time headbutting them, and just battering his way through with nigh psychopathic vigor. He switches from the sword of the maker to a knife halfway through, as he tackles a Dark Knight and just starts stabbing as they both topple over, hissing from between clenched teeth as his knife punches through the chin guard of the Dark Knight and into his brain. ]

Still alive, still alive, I am still alive. [ Logen says, rolling into a ball and slowly standing up after yet another murderous rampage. ]

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny doesn't have much of a chance to see what's going outside of his own pocket of the battle, but when he finally slices his way out from a few enemy Warriors, he spots Logen. He doesn't even recognize him at first, but he does recognize the state he's in immediately. Johnny doesn't approach or try to reason with him. He knows how useless that would be. Instead, he points with his sword to the nearest batch of incoming Imperial soldiers and decides to let Logen go first. He'll back him up.]

Over there! Go!

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[bloodynine]

[ Logen pauses a moment to snatch up the Blade of the maker, and a half-broken shield from a warrior he'd murdered just a moment before, then plows into the warriors, shield leading as he smashes their guard aside and follows up with vicious stabs, punches, and even bites. ]

I am the great leveller!

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[charming_jerk]

[Johnny stayed far enough behind Logen - or so he hoped - that he wouldn't get caught up in his attacks. Instead he took out those who had managed to either block Logen or came up behind them. Logen could continue creating a path for them through the battle.]

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[fearlessherosheart]

[The House of the Dzur had plenty of figures known for berserker rages. Tazendra, thankfully, had only experienced it once, witnessing a friend sacrifice himself for her. Still, she knew enough to know that such a state could be nearly as dangerous to allies as enemies.]

[So she is staying out of sword range, and keeping her own blade drawn: that because they were in a war zone, and because Tazendra knows that a berserker might not be able to tell an unarmed warrior from an armed one, so why slow herself down?]

Can you stand on your own?

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[bloodynine]

I'm still alive! [ He guts a warrior with his knife, punching it into his stomach with rapid, squelching noises, before turning back to retrieve the Blade of the maker. He gasps, then turns back to the fight, momentarily hammered back by an Empire Black mage blasting him with ice magic. ]

Shitshitshit.

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[fearlessherosheart]

[Tazendra fired her own fire spell back at the mage.]

If you will permit me to handle the mages, you shall stay alive as long as I stand.

[Who knew if he could hear her? But it was a good enough plan for her.]

3rd District - Library

[scriptrix]

[As soon as Levy heard news of the Imperial troops breaking through the line and heading for the 3rd District, she rushed as quickly as she could back to the library. She spent way too much time helping Alice board the place up, securing the most valuable books, and memorizing the most important among them to allow the building to be destroyed now.]

Earthquake!

[Calling upon the talents of her Black Mage Job, Levy stands strong in front of the stairs to the library, slinging spells at groups of soldiers from a distance. She's got plenty of options for multi-target effects, but there's no way she'll be able to hold the position by herself. From the look on her face, though, she's willing to make this her final stand.]

[bag_has_snapped]

Blizzara!

[Sorry, Levy, you won't be dying today! Tsubomi's still a little bummed about not being able to help Terra earlier, but she isn't giving up just yet, racing in with her Chocobo and joining her guild leader]

Am I too late?

[playing_hearts]

[Alice can't even begin to describe how grateful she is that she won't have to defend this place alone. She smiles at Levy and Tsubomi from her place in front of the library steps. She's got her armor on, and has already cast protect and shell on herself. And being a crystal knight, her defense was already pretty good.]

Am I ever glad to see you guys. Here, this should help.

[She casts protect again, first on Levy, then Tsubomi.]

[scriptrix]

Right on time, Tsubomi!

[Levy smiles brightly as the other girl rushes to their side, feeling stronger and more confident already.]

Thanks, Alice! Now let's take these guys out!

[Flipping open to a different page, Levy concentrates and lets loose an amazing blast of energy at one of the commanders.]

Flare!

Re: August 01st || The Second Wave

[fearlessherosheart]

To me, Aquares Ixen! To me, Heros!

[Dzurlords have a reputation, even in the warrior aristocracy of the Dragaeran Empire, for a behavior that would be considered suicidal madness if the whole damn caste didn't have a version of it. Consequently, Tazendra was using every single feature of the Paladin job to position her at the front line and keep the enemy's focus on her. And that included the occasional Black Mage Thundaga spell to dismantle war machines]

[She was running on adrenaline and some truly terrible coffee, and she hadn't felt this good in months. Sure, she was probably going to be removed from the field in Crystal Stasis at the rate she was going (if she was lucky enough to not meet one of Kalki's special weapons), but it was worth it.]

[It was going to be sooner if the enemy commander in the area, figuring they needed to deal with the loud giant to both crush morale and stop their forces dying, had something to say.]

[daisy023]

Daisy beheaded the first soldier that came close to her, and fired a couple of volleys as she followed Tazendra.

Spartan senses had been guiding her. There was a sense much alike Tazendra's, a thrill of battle and a high morale in spite of knowing the dangers of such situation -or rather, because of the dangers-.

This was no longer her world, nor Luceti, but as Daisy shot rounds over the ground to form ice to slide through, she immediately stopped next to Tazendra, digging her blade on the floor.

"Tazendra..." she perked her head up, "ever heard... of the giant of the Battle of Stanford Bridge?"

[fearlessherosheart]

"I have not," Tazendra admitted. "What is this tale?"

Because she had to assume it was relevant, if Daisy was bringing it up. She kept her guard up, but let her offense slow enough that she could listen and speak. Still, she was keeping an eye out for another mass of soldiers that would require her full attention.

[daisy023]

"The viking giant," Daisy paused to shoot at a pair of stragglers, "stood at the front of his fellow forces on the tight bridge, against the english forces."

She ran forward and crouched, weapon laying over her knee as she took aim, "he alone resisted the entire onslaught, killed forty englishmen on his rampage..." She opened both eyes, as she eyed somebody in the distance. "But then... Someone sneaked from below him, holding a lance, and moved just below the bridge."

A crack that resembled a thunder came out from her weapon.

"And killed him. In that moment, the entire viking force crumbled, and the english pushed forward, ending in a defeat for the vikings." She rose again with her blade ready, raised over her head, "all, because they relied too much on one point to attack, and the enemy flanked him."

The Second Wave (4th districts/Old Observatory)

[goddessofthesky]

[Zelda has her loftwing which has been helping her fend off the airships and move quickly from place to place, however seeing the second wave move in made the knot in her stomach sink.

She lands letting her bird rest as she focuses her attacks on those around her. She hopes to lure those nearby into the old observatory where she's set up traps, however, that involves putting herself in harm's way.

She has her bow and arrows and she quickly shots at those charging her. When it gets to be too much she can call her loftwing and fly away but she's going to hold her ground for as long as she can. Arrow after arrow leaves her side until there are none left...]

Onboard an Imperial airship...

[desertbloomed]

...unless someone does something drastic.

Ashelia flexed her fingers as the group made their way to the teleportation room. The majority of the soldiers had gone before them, teleported down into the city by the illusionists, and now it was their turn.

They had spent their time until now making their way through the halls surreptitiously, laying traps for their coup and sabotaging some of the weapons and Magitek armours. Only time would tell whether those particular efforts bore fruit, but that was out of their control. Now, they had to focus on making their move, and making it right.

As the third-last group left, Ashelia drew her sword and lunged toward one of the two remaining illusionists. With the element of surprise, the four Heroes should be able to kill the last remaining soldiers - two illusionists, two black mages and two knights, dark and Magitek-flavoured respectively - without even raising the alarm. With the illusionist she attacked dead before he hit the floor, she turned around and struck out at one of the black mages, knocking him backwards with her shield before plunging the blade into his heart. The other soldiers turned around, confusion plain on their faces, but Ashelia knew her companions would give them no time to react further.

[elevatoravatar]

The sudden switch from boring, pretend you are one of them to the thrill of combat perked Elizabeth's interest quickly. Tossing aside her helmet she grinned with an evil glint in her eye and turned to the mages and knights before inhaling, then letting out a torrent of green foul smelling mist/every status attack under the sun in the form of a Bad Breath attack recently learned.

"Hrm...."

[not_most_days]

Fortunately Mary had a chance to see what Elizabeth was doing, so as she suddenly emerged from invisibility in the middle of the group of soldiers she had her bandana wrapped around her mouth and nose. She didn't feel affected by the status ailments, but the stink certainly filtered through.

With the soldiers disoriented and addled, the Assassin quickly moved through their ranks, stabbing with her hidden blade and her cutlass, cutting enemies down one by one.

13th District

[jadethenecromancer]

This was a damn mess.

Over the course of five days, Imperial troops had been lured into the 13th district as planned. Even with setbacks, it had worked -- a little too well, even. Jade ducked behind the remains of a stone wall, blown to pieces at some point of the battle or other, to hide from bullets of gunners. In the seconds that followed, he finished casting his spell and rose over the wall again. The horde of Imperials that had taken the clearing erupted into screams as the light of Ultima tore through them, leaving little behind but charred remains.

Jade dropped back behind cover to catch his breath. Days of non-stop fighting, with barely a chance for sleep... it was getting to him. If it weren't for Osmose, he would have run out of magic long ago.

And as if they weren't at the brink of being overwhelmed as it was, runners had come with news of a second wave. There was nothing he could do about them besides send a small number of Esdham troops with Slow-inducing skills to buy them time until reinforcements arrived. If they arrived.

Either way, Jade couldn't afford to show any uncertainty in front of his men. The fires in the distance and the whispers of traitors were already bad enough for morale. After recasting his worn-off Shell, he signaled the nearby Esdham troops to move to their next location. Keep moving, that was the ticket -- lure the enemy into open spaces where he could wipe them out at once. It was the machines that were the problematic ones--

And speak of the devil, he could hear a Magitek Armor coming. "Good grief," he muttered, preparing himself for another clash.

[desertbloomed]

Moments after hearing the Magitek Armor, Jade would be able to see it. It turned a corner, lumbering down the street almost lazily - deceptively so, as anyone who had been on the front lines would know how quickly the machines could move.

Steam rose from the armor as it readied its guns, though whether it prepared a hail of bullets or an elemental last was a mystery, but not for long. Its engines revved up as its twin barrels spun. Bullets, then.

The not-so-distant rev of an engine preceded a flash of light. "Elder Justiciar, Lord of Thunder, grant me thine power!" An impossibly loud crack of thunder shook the surrounding area as Ramuh descended from the sky above, materializing out of thin air after a flash of lightning. he brandished his staff, brow furrowed.

"Judgement Bolt!" The voice came from a nearby, perpendicular street. As the eidolon raised his staff, the engine revved again and Ashelia sped onto the scene properly, the summoning glyph still spinning around her. She screeched to a halt in front of Jade as Ramuh brought his arm down, his staff flying towards the Magitek Armor. She revved the engine of her motorcycle once more, looking anxiously at the armor. "Get on!"

[jadethenecromancer]

Damn. The exhaustion was making him careless. This street had poor cover, and Magitek Armor wasn't the kind of enemy you could take on directly without a speedy Job. Jade almost wished he had equipped Dragoon instead White Mage -- but then he would have been dead by now.

It was too late for regrets now, anyway. Running would just get him shot in the back, so Jade rushed to cast, even as the armor's machine guns prepared to fire. If he was incredibly lucky, he might just make it--

The boom of thunder was deafening. Both Jade and the Imperial Magitek Knight were startled out of their respective attacks, heads snapping up to find the source of the far-too-close lightning, mere moments before the command rang out.

Jade let out a chuckle, pleasantly surprised, as the motorcycle came to a stop before him. Dramatic though the entrance was, he had to admit -- Ashelia didn't lack for style.

"Impeccable timing, Ashelia." He wasted no time, throwing one leg over the vehicle to sit behind her. The Magitek Armor's rider was currently preoccupied with being electrocuted to death, but expecting a one-hit kill might be too optimistic.

At Base Camp...

[desertbloomed]

It didn't take Ashelia long to find the Aqurean base camp. After her group's dramatic exit from their falling airship, she had run into some Aqurean police officers who pointed her in the right direction and told her about the barricades and how to circumvent them. It seemed Sephiroth had been put in charge - as the highest-ranking Hero in the military, Ashelia wasn't surprised at all. She was, however, worried; their last conversation, in that dimly lit room with the pods and that ominous word over the heavily sealed door, immediately sprang back into her mind.

I hope he has made his choice.

Ashelia's presence was announced by the roar of her motorcycle engine, a welcome change from the near-silence of the past month spent in Nabila. The soldiers were surprised at first, raising their weapons against the figure on the Imperial vehicle, but relented when she held up her crystal. A runner lead her to Sephiroth's side almost immediately.

She approached the other Hero with a nod, evidently expecting her presence to have already been announced to him. "My friend. What's the situation?"

At Base Camp...

[shinrasfinest]

The situation on the ground was a hairline shy of chaotic; all the forward bases were already as deployed as they could be and squads rushed from one position to the next as most of the activity directly south of the Command center was dedicated to putting out fires, corralling civilians into the central districts or hunting for the enemy who was sowing panic throughout their ranks. Occasionally an injured party could be seen being stretchered hurriedly towards the nearest base which was still operational as a field clinic.

Inside the library that had been re-purposed as the operational center, that chaos was mimicked. Runners rushed in and out, having already made it passed the various lines of security that ensured they were all appropriately tagged before being allowed access. Sweat and soot being the aromas that mostly hung around inside.

Sephiroth was stood with his back to Ashelia's approach; a sure tell that he hadn't been informed of her presence yet, both arms outstretched to the edges of the table almost as if they were holding him up. His head was canted downwards and as she spoke, a quiet static-buzz could be heard from the table in front of him which was also encircled by a few other officers. As Ashelia drew closer the source became clear; the Imperial radio hissed once more as the transmission they had intercepted cut out.

He took a step backwards, almost into Ashelia before his perception caught up and he quickly turned to face her. Having just been about to bark the latest order across the room to a waiting group of runners.

"Ashe-" He whispered as if the word were stuck in his throat somewhere. It was clear from his expression that there were something more urgent afoot for the time being. Sephiroth pointedly stepped away from her and closed the distance before speaking loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"Dispatch E-Omega along with them, we can't allow the blockade around 13th to fall!"

A line of short salutes followed and the messengers left promptly. At this point though, it left Sephiroth wondering if they would get through. The fires had made keeping lines of communication extremely touch and go; there was a report earlier that a forward base had been lost but there wasn't anyway to verify it. The inevitability of the odds stacked against them had already started to chafe hours ago.

Then the Major turned to Ashelia again, glancing back at the radio as a technician started to play with it again.

"As well in hand as it can be, but it gets tighter by the hour. We need to make good on the time that you've managed to award us." Sephiroth didn't have the patience nor much of a mood to explain how he already knew what Ashe's plan had been and could only assume that she figured he'd already know. It didn't matter, in the long run. He nodded towards the map that was stretched over the central table, it's various markers spread out picturing as best they knew the position of the forces currently.

Should Ashe approach the table to have a look, Sephiroth would follow her over as well.